Birdwatchers furious over cutting of LA refuge

LOS ANGELES 
Los Angeles bird lovers are squawking after the Army Corps of Engineers razed 80 acres of a San Fernando Valley wildlife refuge.

The Daily News of Los Angeles (
http://bit.ly/VCzoz5
) says the San Fernando Audubon Society is outraged that the corps last week stripped shrubbery and many trees from the Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve.

The corps said it took action to help police an area known for homeless camps and lewd behavior. The move was part of a multiyear restoration plan that includes removing non-native plants and trees.

However, Audubon officials say the public wasn't informed. They claim the cleanup actually took out many native plants and devastated an area that attracts many birds.

The society has complained to Rep. Brad Sherman, whose office plans to talk with both sides.